Church will have food-packing event Sunday

By Times-News

Published: Friday, March 15, 2013 at 05:20 PM.

GRAHAM – The youth at First United Methodist Church in Graham will be feeding 20,000 on Sunday – but not locally or all at once.

The church’s United Methodist Youth Fellowship group raised about enough money to pay for 20,000 dried meals provided by Stop Hunger Now’s meal packaging program. Beginning on the first day of Lent, about four weeks ago, the youth asked their congregation to donate money so they could feed the hungry in other countries.

Michael Brumble, one of the youth advisors in the church, said 25 cents pays for one packaged dried meal, which contains six servings. To encourage donations, he said, each member of the congregation was given a quarter to carry, and they returned the change – and much more.

Originally, Brumble said the youth’s goal was to collect about $2,500, enough to purchase ingredients for 10,000 meals. They collected $5,000,

“So we’ve doubled our goal,” he said.

“It’s the first time we have hosted something like this at our church,” though the youth have participated in similar food-packing drives elsewhere. On Sunday, Stop Hunger Now is bringing the dry goods, including rice and vitamin powder, for the youth, friends, adult congregation and community members to package.

“We package and seal it … and they ship it to the different countries,” said Brumble. “All they have to do is rehydrate it,” he said, referring to the meal recipients.

GRAHAM – The youth at First United Methodist Church in Graham will be feeding 20,000 on Sunday – but not locally or all at once.

The church’s United Methodist Youth Fellowship group raised about enough money to pay for 20,000 dried meals provided by Stop Hunger Now’s meal packaging program. Beginning on the first day of Lent, about four weeks ago, the youth asked their congregation to donate money so they could feed the hungry in other countries.

Michael Brumble, one of the youth advisors in the church, said 25 cents pays for one packaged dried meal, which contains six servings. To encourage donations, he said, each member of the congregation was given a quarter to carry, and they returned the change – and much more.

Originally, Brumble said the youth’s goal was to collect about $2,500, enough to purchase ingredients for 10,000 meals. They collected $5,000,

“So we’ve doubled our goal,” he said.

“It’s the first time we have hosted something like this at our church,” though the youth have participated in similar food-packing drives elsewhere. On Sunday, Stop Hunger Now is bringing the dry goods, including rice and vitamin powder, for the youth, friends, adult congregation and community members to package.

“We package and seal it … and they ship it to the different countries,” said Brumble. “All they have to do is rehydrate it,” he said, referring to the meal recipients.

The group will gather at First United Methodist Church in Graham, at 303 N. Main St., at 4 p.m. Sunday, and will package the meals until 7 p.m. or until the food runs out.